Reader Awards:
Best Blues Artist (Male):
Willie King
Best Blues Artist (Female):
Shemekia Copeland
Best Musician (Guitar):
Jody Williams
Best Musician (Keyboards):
Pinetop Perkins
Best Musician (Harmonica):
Snooky Pryor
Best Live Performer:
Solomon Burke
Most Outstanding Blues Singer:
Solomon Burke
Best Historical Album:
B.B. King, The Vintage Years (Ace Records)
Best New Album:
Precious Bryant, Fool Me Good (Terminus Records)
Critics Awards:
Best Blues Artist (Male):
Willie King
Best Blues Artist (Female):
Precious Bryant
Most Outstanding Musician:
Jody Williams (Guitar)
Solomon Burke (Vocals)
Bob Stroger (Bass)
Lazy Lester (Harmonica)
Sam Carr (Drums)
Calvin Owens (Horns)
Henry Gray (Keyboards)
Robert Randolph—other instrument (Pedal steel)
Best Live Performer:
Bobby Rush
Comeback Artist:
Jody Williams
Artist Deserving More Attention:
Bettye Lavette
Best Blues Albums of 2002:
Historical Reissue/ Pre-War:
Various Artists, When the Sun Goes Down—The Secret History of Rock & Roll (Bluebird)
New Recordings/ Soul-Blues:
Tommy Thomas, You Put that Dog Ahead of Me (Rock House Records)
New Recordings/ Best Debut:
Precious Bryant, Fool Me Good (Terminus Records)
New Recordings/Contemporary Blues:
Corey Harris, Downhome Sophisticate (Rounder)
New Recordings/ Traditional & Acoustic:
Precious Bryant, Fool Me Good (Terminus Records)
Album of the Year:
Solomon Burke, Don’t Give Up On Me (Fat Possum)
Historical/ Reissue:
Barry Feldman and Colin Escott with David Evans, When the Sun Goes Down—The Secret History of Rock & Roll (Bluebird)
New Recording:
Roy Roberts, Rockhouse Records
Best Liner Notes:
Colin Escott and John Broven,B.B. King, The Vintage Years (Ace Records)
Best Cover Art:
Willie King, Living in a New World (Rooster)
Photo by Bill Steber
Best Song (original composition, released in 2002):
“Terrorized,” Willie King
